Reverage dispensing apparatus



March 5, 1946. A. s. L EV|N- 5,

' I BEVERAGE DiSPENSI NG APPARATUS Filed Oct. 3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. A S; L EVIN, BY I 1 I A 3202 ay March 5, 1946. 5, LEVIN BEVERAGE DISPENSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1940 INVENTOR. A. 5. LEW/v,

Patented Mar. 5, 1946 2,395,932 5 a BEVERAGE msrnnsmonrmm'rosf Abraham shtevimlhiladelphimfa. I I r Appllcationctubcr3,1940, scheme. 359,811

7 claims. (Cl. 225%![ V This invention relates to beverage dispensing" apparatus and more particularly to the type of apparatus disclosed in' the patent to John L. Norton and Abraham S. iiievin, Patent No;

2,270,383, filed September 12, 1939.

With th foregoing in view, an obiect-oi the invention is to improve upon the beverage dis Fla-:2 is-s vertical transversesection through one or the dispensing containorsshownln H3: 1': Figs 3 is a longitudinalronicalsection taken ontheline ktorFinQ: 1 e- Fig;- 4 is a horizontal sectionitalten outlie line 4hMFigi 2: s, a

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line penser disclosed in the Norton and Levin appli- 5 5 of FigAjand a cation aforesaid, ser. No. 294,524; filed Scptem. Fig 6; is a longitudinal verticalsection taken berm, 1939, and also toimprove upon tho bev= through the-spigotorFigi-z. i r

I erage. dispenser disclosed in the patent to John L. Norton, No. 2,167,309 dated July 25, 1939i A further object is to provide in a beverage dispenser incorporating at least one container for a beverage, means for simultaneouslyor selec tively dis ensing beverage from said container at a plurality of widely separated points r A further object is to provide in a beverage dispenser incorporating at least one dispensing containe means for connecting Said dispensing container to a plurality of supply containers, said connecting means including means readily accessible at the dispensing container to selectively connect any of said supply containers to said dispensing container.

A further object is to provide in association with a beverage dispensing container, of a novel multiplevalve-incorporating casing for support ing said container, said casing providing drain and venting means as well as dispensing means for the beverage container; at flushing means for the container, its beverage outlet, andsaid drain and venting means; asupport for the beverage inflow. pipe; and which ivalve casing may also furnish means for mounting and spacing said container in a tank containing refrigerating fluid A further object is to providein' a beverage'dia penser including at least one supply container mounted in a tank of refrigerating fluid, of means for drawing beverage from said container and dispensing the same, said means being located entirely outside said refrigerating-tank.

A further object of the invention is to provide a beverage dispenserwhichissimple inconstmm tion, easily cleaned, economical toopelate, the

I cludesa top H, a front wall 12; a bottom wall I3,

arrangements being such that the beverage can I be readily maintained at a predetermined ternperature and/or pressure. a

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of my invention, combination and arrangement of the several parts, and in the particular mode and method of operation, all otwhich will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art; upon reference to the accompanying drawings inconnechereinafter.

In the drawings: j I 1 'lgigure 1 is a, perspective view with parts broken away o'ione form oimyinvention; a

Referring specifically tothe drawingswhsrein like reference characters have, bccns useo throughout to designate like parts, lu -designates the outer casing' oia beverage" dispensing unitl according totheinvention. @The casing urin and a drain trollQhJl. whe'draintrougn I8 is connected tothe from: wall it orthe ontercas ing in any suitable-manner, shells-provided with a suitable drain connection, not-shown; I .Iti the form shown, the casing' l0 mounts the three dispensing containers I5; I! and H, but itis obvious that more or less than the three shown may be single dls= inthe event thatone or the containers :zior 26 becomes empty that one of the valves-2t or 2| willbe' closed to out on the empty container wnile the other valves 20 or is opened-to connect the full container with the dispensing container without the interruption-slicing more thana few seconds'duration'. f I

Referring to Fig. 2,which it will be noted is a section through theidispensing container "g -it is seen that an inner casing' 2191; provided in spaced relation to'th'e' walls and-bottom ofthe outer casing in.- j'riie-inner'casin-g 214s adapted to contain brine or-other refrigerating liquidinct shown, and the casing 21 is intended to be m"- able insulating material not SIflOWIL-"Eddh'fif the dispensing containers 15,: It and-1'1 "comprises 7 a cup-dike lower sectlonfn'positloild within-the tion with the detailed description appearing portionsjli whichare reincvably-suted' thereon in any suitable manner. Each dispensing coning 21 ma xtjenus longitudinally thereofi con-1 duits' 34, only on of which is shown, lead from the water tank 33 to suitable dispensing spigots: j W located on the front wall I2 of the outer cas- -.which is used for opening and closing said valve I32. By preference, there will he a tube I34 (see ing "I. As each of the parts '2'I to34,' inclusive,

are substantially the same as the like-parts-of. the copending application aforesaid ser. No."

294,524, filed September 12, 1939, it is thought that further description thereof is unnecessary.

Each cup-like portion 28 of the dispensing containers 15. Hi and .II is supported in upwardly spaced relation from the floor of the inner casing- 21 by the upper. flange; ofa" multiple conduit casing 40. A lower flange 42 of each casing40 supports the latter-on the .floor of the inner casing 21. The casing provides a'pair of separate and verticallyidisposed passages 43 and 44. I The upper end of the passage 43 is connected in any suitablemannerto the lower end of the combined vent andflushingconduit- 3|." The beverage supply pipe 32:a1so, passes through the passage 43. The passage 44 opens into the cuplike receptacle 28 as at 45. .Both'of the, passages '43 and extend below the bottom wall of thecasing 21 and the passage 44 has a branch conduit 46 extendinglaterally'therefrom immediately below the bottom of the casing 21. The upper portion of passage 44 which liesbetween the opening .45 ,andthe branch conduit 46, comprises a'calming chamber, in which the beverage is settled or calmed and from which it is drawn 011; By continuing thepassage 44 below the conduit 46, a sediment trap is provided which insures against-the drawing-poise. "muddy beverage. The calming-action of passage 44 will be described hereinafter." Any suitable means 41 connects'the laterally extending conduit 45 with a beverage dispensing conduit 48 which may have a coil orconvolution 49 therein and which con-v duit 48 is connected :by anysuitable means 50 withan elbow 5i to'whioh is connected the beverage dispensing; spigot or faucet B. It is to be noted that therdispensing conduit 45-5I while it is entirely outside ofthe reirigerating casing 21 lies very close to the walls of said, casing throughout the length of saidconduit. Y Thus,

I there-is little danger of the temperature of the beverage'being raised while it is in the conduit; As is shown in Fig. 1, the left hand beverage dispensing container I5 has a slightly difierent form of dispensing conduit in that the conduit I48'thereof is provided with branch'conduits 48a" and 48?) which lead respectively to beverage dis -duit 46; it will be noted thatthe drain passage 44. opensrinto the drain ch amber I24 tot-valve casing 40 which communicates through the valve seat I25 withthe valve chamber I26 having the outlet passage: I21.,., Valve'casing 40 has the por: tion. I23 carryingithe forwardly extending drain pipe I29 which communicates with drain passage I21 and leads out through the front wall l2 of the outer casing Ill. The removable drain spout I3I on the outer end of drain pipe I29 discharges into drain pan I4, as shown.

' f'The valve I132 whichcontrols the drain flow through seat I25 has its stem threaded as usual in a packing gland-incorporating portion of casing 40; and the outer end of said stem is square so as to fitin the socket end of a wrench I33b 'Figure 2) through which wrench I33b is inserted.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show the valve-incorporating casing 40 as provided with the air pressure relief chamber I31 which is separate from the drain chamber I24 and which is located alon side the latter. This air relief chamber I31 is in open communication with the air pressure relief passage 43 with which vent pipe 3| communicates. Chamber I31 has the laterally extending outlet I38 (Fig. 4) carrying the outlet pipe 39 whose outer end'has a threaded socket portion which extends through front wall I2 of casing I B and receives the rear threaded end of a relief valve I40, shown in Figure 2.

As shown, the'beverage inlet pipe 32 for each container I5, I6, II which leads from a supply keg 25, 25 passes up through air relief passage,

43 of valve casing 48, and up through the'conduit 3I to a point adjacent the-top thereof where it opens into container in a well known manner,

not shown. a I

The means for flushing out and cleaning not .only the entire interior of beverage dispensing containers and valve casing 48, but also all passages leading thereto and therefrom, including the beverage inlet pipe 32 will now be described.

Figures 4 and 5 show valve casing 40 as having the rearwardly extending projection I providing the water inflow chamber H, and Figure 4 illustrates that each water inflow chamber I 5I forms a part of a flushing water supply line I52. The remote end of the flushing water supply line is closed by a plug (not shown).

Each flushing water inflow chamber I5I is 8813-. arated from its air pressure relief chamber I31 by a valve seat I54 against which a valve I will be kept seated except when the apparatus is to be flushed out. The flushing watercontrol valve I55, which is similar to the drain control valve I32, works in the vent relief valve chamber- I3'I, and its stem has-a squared end to receive socket wrench I331). The valve stem is, of course, threaded as usual in the usual packing glandincorporating portion of valve. casing 40. The manner of flushing out the apparatus and also theoperationof the several valves in that portion of the casing 40 which lies below beverage conduit extension 46 is the same as in the aforesaid Patent No; 2,270,383 dated Jan. 20, 1942, and need not be described here.

Referring now to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the horizontal arm of the elbow 5| threadedly receives the threaded nipple 52 of the faucet B. Leakage is prevented by suitable packing means 53 as the beverage passes through a passage 54 of the nipple 52. into an enlarged passage 55, which is substantially horizontal. @The passage 55, in turn, opens intoa substantially vertical and still further enlarged valve chamber 59 havin an opening in the floor thereof provided with a valve seat 51.

The valve seat 5'! normally receives; the spring loaded valve 58 thereof to maintain the chamber 56 closed. The beverage may be readily dispensed by depressing the handle H which actuates a finger 59 to raise the valve 58 and permit the beverage to pass out of the valve chamber 56 and into the discharge spout 60.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 6, there is great advantage in the beverage dispensing passage means 44, 46, 48, 49, 54, 55, 56 and 60, and this is true not only as an entirety but also as to elements thereof, such as the calming chamber 44 of valve casing 40, the passage 54, 55, 56 of faucet B, etc. For instance, the narrow, elongated and unobstructed calming chamber 44 which receives the relatively quiescent beverage from the bottom of dispensing container l6 (Fig. 2) further calms the same. This calming action is due not only to the weight of the volume of fluid above and the fact that chamber 44 is free of obstructions, but also to the gas pressure in and above the beverage in said dispensing container l 6. In other words, the bevera e is acked, or given greater density so as to speak, in calming chamber 44.

Another factor in the calming of the beverage in passage from dispensing container l6 to faucet B, is the fact the outlet conduit 46 leading from calming chamber 44 is of much smaller diameter than chamber 44 so as to further confine the beverage and reduce turbulence. Similarly, the internal diameter of communicating pipe 48. 49 is smaller than that of conduit 46; and the communicating passage 54 of faucet B and that of its carrying elbow 5| is smaller still. The progressive internal diameter reduction of the beverage outflow passage from calming chamber 44 to faucet inlet passage 54 (Fig. 6) serves to confine and. further calm the beverage. However, it is desirable to provide at the faucet B for limited expansion of the beverage so as to enable a foam collar or head to be put on the top of a glass of the beverage. This is accomplished by progressive diametric enlargement of the fluid passage of the faucet as shown at 55, 56 and 60 in Fig. 6.

While cup-like parts 26 and transparent domes 3|] of the dispensing containers l5, l6 and I! are generally similar to the like parts of the copending application, Serial No. 294,524,fi1ed September 12, 1939, aforesaid, it is to be understood that here the cup-like portions 28 are substantially larger and the domes 30 are substantially smaller than are the like parts of said application, whereby the greater part of the beverage is located below the top of the refrigerating tank 21. This structure not only permits the refrigeratin coils 29 to be longer but by locating the beverage conduit 46 below the floor of the tank 21, the coils 29 may extend right up to the top of the cup-like members 28 whereby better refrigeration of the beverage is obtained.

While I have shown and described what is now thought to be a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms of expression. Consequently, I do not limit myself to the precise structure shown and described hereinbefore except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a beverage dispensing device, including a counter-carried outer casing, a refrigerating casing inside said first casing and in spaced and insulated relation to said first casing, and means mounting a dispensing container in upwardly spaced relation to the floor of said inner casing;

and said conduit extending along the outside of the walls of said inner casing in close relation thereto and being operatively connected to said faucet.

2. The structure of claim 1, and a restriction coil formed in said conduit.

3. The structure of claim 1, a second faucet carried by said outer casing remote from said first faucet, a conduit for said second faucet leading along the outside of a wall of said inner casing, and said second conduit being connected to said first conduit.

4. In a beverage dispensing device, including a counter-carried outer casing, a refrigerating casing inside said first casing and in spaced and insulated relation to said first casing, and means mounting a dispensing container in upwardly spaced relation to the floor of said inner casing; said means including supply and dispensing passages extending through the floor of said inner casing, and a dispensing conduit opening into said dispensing passage outwardly of said inner casing.

5. The structure of claim 4, a faucet on said conduit, said faucet having an intak passage therein of substantially larger internal diameter separate beverage supply passage, a beverage drain passage, and a combined pressure relief and flushing water inlet passage in said valve casin all of said passages extending through the floor of said inner casing, a valve for said drain passage in said valve casing below said inner casing and in spaced relation thereto, a pressure relief conduit opening into said combined pressure relief and flushing passage below said inner casing,

a flushing water control valve in said last named. passage below said pressure relief conduit, and a beverage dispensing conduit opening into said drain conduit between said inner casing and said drain valve.

'7. In a beverage dispensing device, including a counter-carried outer casing, a refrigerating casing inside said first casing and in spaced and insulated relation to said first casing, and means mounting a dispensing container in upwardly spaced relation to the floor of said inner casing; said means comprising a multiple valve casing, a separate beverage supply passage, a beverage drain passage, and a combined pressure relief and flushing water inlet passage in said valve casing, all of said passages extending through the floor of said inner casing, a valve for said drain passage in said valve casing below said inner casing and in spaced relation thereto, and a beverage dispensing conduit opening into said drain conduit between said inner casing and said drain valve.

ABRAHAM S. LEVIN. 

